NCJ Number
148633
Date Published
1993
Length
288 pages
Annotation
The author, who has directed the Sex Crimes Prosecution Unit (SCPU) within the Manhattan District Attorney's Office for more than 15 years, describes the history and work of the unit.
Abstract
The SCPU was the first such organization in the Nation. It is charged with supervising every sex-crime prosecution in Manhattan. Consequently, the author and her associates have been at the center of the massive changes in sex-crimes law and procedure that have occurred over the past two decades. Through the efforts of the SCPU and similar units in other jurisdictions throughout the country, rape victims can now expect sensitive treatment from the police, can expect to be believed and supported, and can have a reasonable expectation that the perpetrator will be convicted. The Midtown Rapist case, which involved stranger- to-stranger rape, is profiled to show how the system works to protect victims and punish criminals. This includes details on how evidence is collected; how witnesses are interviewed; how indictments are produced; and how the trial, verdict, and sentencing are managed. Chapters address date and acquaintance rape, rapist profiles, prostitution and rape, DNA identification, sexual scams, offender identification, and false reporting. Subject index